“Wait! Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You have Tildy.”
“Tildy is at my parents.” Adley might not want to
come over here, but she doesn’t use Tildy as an out. She could
have told me that she was already asleep or anything else and I
wouldn’t have pressed. I probably would have just given up on
my need to get this out.
“Steph?”
“I’m here. Just thinking.”
“Do you still want me to come?”
I should be polite and tell her not to worry about it. I
should go back to shoving all that stuff I’ve kept buried right
back down. I should, but I just can’t. I’m just not in the
headspace to cover it all up with lies either.
“Yes. If that’s alright?”
“Sure. Send me the address and I’ll leave right away.”
“Thank you.”
I hang up and text her my address. I feel just a little bit
better. Just a little bit lighter. A little bit less like I weigh a
thousand pounds. It’s far from floating or flying, but maybe
I’ll get there. As long as I don’t lose my courage before Adley
arrives.
My phone dings. There’s a text from Adley.
Twenty minutes, my GPS says.
I try to let the breath out of my lungs, but it’s stuck in
there for good. I’m no good with words, but I have to find the
right ones. I can’t give up. I want to, for the first time in my
whole life, put the truth out there. I can’t lose my nerve.
I just have to hold on for twenty more minutes.
Chapter 9
Adley